1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to production equipment for oil wells and more particularly, to a device and method for installing sucker rod guides in a spaced pattern along a string of sucker rods of a pumping well.
2. Background Information
At a wellhead, sucker rods are high tensile strength rods that make up the mechanical assembly between the surface and downhole components of a pumping system. The wellhead is the top end of the well where the oil is extracted from the well. The wellhead as defined herein is the control equipment fitted to the top of the well consisting of outlets, valves, blowout preventors, etc. Sucker rods are typically steel rods between 25 and 40 feet long. They are frequently threaded at each end to enable easy interconnection of individual segments of sucker rods as well as the downhole components. Sucker rods are commonly used for removing oil, methane, and other liquids and hydrocarbons.
Sucker rods are expensive and need to be treated with care so that they do not break during pumping or when positioned in a hole. If a sucker rod does break because of poor treatment or unfavorable hole conditions, it is sometimes impossible or extremely difficult to retrieve the sucker rod and attached components. This expense costs the industry millions of dollars a year.
As a result, sucker rods are often provided with sucker rod guides that are designed to prolong the useful life of the sucker rods and prevent damage thereto. A sucker rod guide typically comprises a rubber or plastic body which is configured for forcibly attachment to a sucker rod. Sucker rod guides are frequently used because they are a cheap way to prevent and/or lessen metal on metal wear and damage caused by poor hole conditions. Depending on the hole conditions, sucker rod guides may be installed at various, regular intervals along the chain of interconnected sucker rods so as to effectively protect the sucker rods from damage.
A typical sucker rod guide has a cylindrical shape, having an inner opening and hollow core defined therein. The opening allowing the sucker rod to inserted therethrough and into the hollow core. This core approximately the size of the sucker rod's exterior diameter, thereby allowing the guide to be snapped onto the sucker rod and held thereon.
One typical method of installation of such a sucker rod guide onto a sucker rod would involve the process of, in the field, hammering them onto the sucker rod with multiple blows. This technique has various disadvantages including: damage to the sucker rod during installation (sometimes invalidating the sucker rod warranty), physical injury caused by the sucker rod guide flying off the sucker rod, worker fatigue, the process is generally slow, and physical harm to equipment that may occur from the hammering/ricochet action.
As a result, there is a need in the art for a system and method that provides a quick and effective way to safely mount sucker rod guides on a sucker rod in the field and elsewhere.
Additional objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows and in part will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon examination of the following or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of the invention may be realized and attained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims.